SERVICE DELIVERY CHARTER FOR THE CONSULAR SECTION AT THE
SOUTH AFRICAN ………… (High Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General) IN
…………………………… (City, Country)
1.
Who are we?
We are the Consular Section at the South African …………………..……... (High
Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General) in ……... (City, Country).
2.
Where can we be found?
The South African ………… (High Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General) is situated
at ……………………………… (Physical address).
The Consular Section works in close collaboration with the Chief Directorate
Consular and Agency Services at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pretoria,
the Department of Home Affairs and other Government Departments not
represented abroad. The services listed are often performed in conjunction with
this Chief Directorate. The responsible consular official in Pretoria is ……..
(name of consular desk official) and can be contacted at telephone number ……….
(direct telephone number of consular desk official).
Emergency consular services are available on a 24-hour basis. A consular official
will be available to provide specialised guidance and assistance after hours and
over weekends. Our after hours emergency telephone number is …………….
3.
The services we provide:
We have two areas of specialisation, namely:
Consular & Agency Services, including emergency consular assistance;
Immigration and Civic Services.
In brief, Consular and Agency Services describe the services and assistance the
………. (High Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General) is able to provide for South
African citizens abroad. Our services are available on weekdays, Monday –
Friday (excluding public holidays) during consular office hours (……..) (your
office’s consular hours). After hours services will only be rendered in the case of an
emergency. Emergency consular services describe services rendered in the case of
distress, serious illness or death of a South African citizen abroad, natural
disasters and evacuation where South African citizens are involved. It excludes
any enquiries of a general nature.
Immigration and Civic Services are services rendered on behalf of the Department
of Home Affairs and include all matters relating to births, deaths, marriages,
passport applications, immigration and residency.
For an overview of the services provided by the Consular Section, the two areas
of specialisation will be discussed separately.
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3.1
CONSULAR & AGENCY SERVICES:
3.1.1 We provide the following services:
3.1.1.1 Protection and Assistance to South African citizens abroad:
 We respond to emergencies (all situations involving health, safety, security
and wellbeing of South African citizens abroad). This includes providing a
support service in hostage cases as well as assistance in evacuation planning
of South African citizens abroad in cases of political turmoil or natural
disasters);
 In the event of an emergency, we communicate on behalf of family and/or
friends in South Africa with South African citizens abroad and vice versa;
 We provide logistical support and non-financial assistance for repatriation and
urgently needed medical or professional attention. Professional attention
includes information regarding legal services available in the event of
detention or threat of detention;
 We notify the next of kin in the event of death: The consular official will
immediately notify the consular officer at the Directorate: Consular and
Agency Services who will notify the next of kin via the official channels;
 We assist in the search for missing persons abroad and/or determination of the
whereabouts of South African citizens abroad;
 We assist South African citizens in distress by facilitating the payment of
funds to these citizens deposited by family members or friends in South
Africa. If family members are unable to assist, we provide assistance to apply
for refundable, limited, financial assistance at the Department of Home
Affairs;
 Child Custody, including abductions and adoptions: We provide advice,
guidance and support to a custodial parent/guardian. Where there is evidence
that the health and safety of the child is in jeopardy, the matter is treated as an
emergency;
 Kidnapping and hostage taking covers forcible restrictions on the freedom of
movement of all persons. All instances of kidnapping in …….. (countries of
accreditation) will be reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Operations
Room immediately. We provide guidance and advice to affected citizens and
their families;
 We provide non-financial assistance and support to defrauded South African
citizens and we report scams and other fraudulent activities to the South
African Police Service;
 We provide invigilation services to foreigners and South African citizens to
write exams with registered South African academic institutions (i.e. UNISA
exams); Only to be included by offices where such service is rendered.
 We maintain a register of South African citizens residing in ……. (country of
accreditation). This register is kept to enable the High
Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General to communicate with its citizens
when necessary. You are encouraged to register with our office by
completing the registration form online at …… (Direct link to registration
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form to be inserted) or by requesting a registration form to be forwarded to
you.
3.1.1.2 Assistance to South African citizens in detention:
 We establish and maintain contact with arrested South African citizens abroad
with due observance of the law and regulations of the arresting State. This
service is rendered to ensure that South Africans who have been arrested,
detained or imprisoned under foreign jurisdictions understand their rights and
the services that can be provided by the South African Government. Prisoners
are defined as persons who have been tried, convicted and sentenced.
Depending on specific circumstances, contact will be in person, in writing, by
telephone or through appropriate intermediaries;
 We endeavour to visit South African citizens in prison once every three
months. However, distance, logistics and local circumstances will play a role;
 We assist South African citizens in prison abroad by facilitating the payment
of funds paid by family members or friends in South Africa;
 We facilitate the delivery of letters and/or medication to South African
prisoners abroad, sent by family and/or friends from South Africa, subject to
the provisions and prevailing fees of the Department of Foreign Affairs as
may be amended from time to time and also in compliance with the laws and
regulations of the country of arrest/imprisonment.
3.1.1.3 Information – South Africa:
 We provide information and advice to South Africans and foreigners on
subjects regarding South Africa for which there are frequent requests. These
subjects include but are not limited to customs regulations, civil aviation,
taxation, pensions, social & legal services, travel, banking and education.
 The information and advice will be of a general nature. This office is not in a
position to provide specialised advice. The information will often be in the
form of directives for the enquirer to the relevant department or institution.
No private company will be favoured.
3.1.1.4 Information – Local:
 We provide information and advice to South African citizens on subjects
regarding ……… (countries of accreditation) for which there are frequent
requests. These subjects include but are not limited to customs regulations,
civil aviation, taxation, pensions, social and legal services, travel, banking and
education.
 The information and advice will be of a general nature. This office is not in a
position to provide specialised advice. The information will often be in the
form of directives for the enquirer to the relevant department or institution.
No private company will be favoured.
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3.1.1.5 Legal and Notary:
 Upon instruction from the Department of Justice, this office formally
transmits documents in private legal matters to the relevant authorities and/or
individuals;
 We act as a Commissioner of Oaths (South African documents only);
 Legalisation: We can authenticate the signatures of the authorised officials in
the Foreign Ministries of ……….. (countries of accreditation) to validate
documents for use in South Africa. We also submit applications and
documentation for apostille certificates on South African documents to the
Legalisation Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pretoria;
 Service of Process and Maintenance Orders: We facilitate the process via
judicial channels to have documents served on defendants abroad;
 We facilitate other legal processes via judicial channels when requested to do
so by the authorised authorities. These processes include but are not limited
to requests for extradition, rogatory letters, edictal citations and evidence on
commission.
3.1.2 You will be able to make use of these services by:
Contacting our office via any of the following means:
a)
In person during consular hours by appointment only;
b)
By contacting our office at telephone No …….. or fax No …………;
c)
By mail. The address to be used is …………..;
d)
By e-mail at ………………………….;
e)
In the case of an emergency only, you can reach the Consular Section by
dialling ………..
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3.1.3 Before requesting a service:
Each case determines the documents needed to enable this office to render
assistance. A valid form of identification, i.e. identity document or passport, may
be requested. When in doubt, you are advised to contact the office before
requesting a service. It may save you time later. You can also visit our website at
…………. for more information.
IMPORTANT NOTE
We do NOT provide the following services
Issue travel documents in the absence of proof of citizenship, other supporting documents
requested and payment of the prescribed fee.
Remove children without the assistance of the local authorities and without the authorisation of
the court.
Instigate court proceedings or obtain legal advice on behalf of South African citizens.
Intervene in local judicial procedures to get South African citizens out of prison, on bail or an
early trial.
Pay any expenses on behalf of citizens from State funds, i.e. medical bills, hotel or legal fees, air
tickets, transport, food, funerals, cremation or return of mortal remains.
Obtain accommodation or any permits (i.e. work permits, study permits, etc) on behalf of South
African citizens.
Conduct investigations related to an offence.
Support a South African citizen financially whilst in prison.
Travel to dangerous areas to visit prisoners/detainees or provide consular support in such cases.
Conduct a search without the assistance of local authorities or provide information regarding the
whereabouts of a South African citizen without the express consent of that citizen.
Assist with the transfer of funds to a citizen who is not in distress.
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3.2
CIVIC AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES:
3.2.1 We provide the following services:
3.2.1.1 Civic Services:
 We receive and process all applications for South African birth, marriage and
death certificates;
 We apply for Letters of No Impediment confirming the marital status of an
individual on behalf of South African citizens;
 We receive, process and issue South African emergency travel certificates or
temporary passports;
 We receive, process and forward applications for South African identity
documents and passports to the Department of Home Affairs;
 We receive and refer various Home Affairs applications, including
applications for name change and determination of citizenship to the
Department of Home Affairs.
3.2.1.2 Immigration:
We assist, facilitate and provide guidance on all matters pertaining to the
amended South African Immigration Act 13 of 2002 (Insert direct link to the
Immigration Act). These matters include:
 Temporary Residence Permit applications: These applications include, but are
not limited to visa applications and work & study permit applications. These
permits are processed by the High Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General,
but may in some instances need to be referred to the Department of Home
Affairs in South Africa for approval;
 Applications for Permanent Residence: We receive, process and refer all
applications for Permanent Residence permits. This includes interviewing
prospective immigrants.
3.2.2 You will be able to make use of these services by:
Submitting the completed application form and all the supporting documentation
to the Consular Section of this office by one of the following means:
a) In person, during consular hours only (Indicate consular hours);
b) By mailing your application to the following address: …………….. (Postal
address of High Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General).
3.2.3 Before requesting a service:
 The applicable application form (can be obtained from our website at ……..);
 Application forms and lists of supporting documents to be submitted can also
be obtained from this office;
 Depending on the type of service, supporting documents that may be required
include, but are not limited to the applicant’s passport, fingerprints, passport
size photographs, proof of provisional booking for return or onward flight and
application fees.
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
4.
The Consular Section reserves the right to request additional supporting
documents on any application as may be deemed necessary.
Our service standards:
The Consular Section at the South African …….. (High Commission/Embassy/ConsulateGeneral) in ……… (city) is committed to providing an effective and efficient
service to all our customers throughout the world, irrespective of national origin,
age, gender or religious orientation. Our commitment is to service that can be
clearly determined and measured at all times in terms of sensitivity, empathy,
courtesy, speed, accuracy and fairness.
We commit ourselves to the principles of service delivery (consultation, service
standards, access, courtesy, information, openness & transparency, redress and
value for money) and will indicate to you as our customers what you can expect
from us with regard to service delivery standards.
The services listed in the Schedules are meant to be generic and the listing is not
intended as a definitive itemisation of the range of requests that consular staff are
expected to respond to. The listings will be reviewed from time to time in order to
keep it current with changing conditions.
The reaction times provided in the minimum operational standards are targets
based on best efforts and existing conditions. Our ability to meet the stated times
in the Service Delivery Standards are, in many instances, governed by factors that
are beyond our control. Notwithstanding, we will make every effort to meet the
stated standard. When it is not possible to do so, we will explain to our customers
the reasons for not being able to meet the required standards.
It is very important to note that during times of emergencies and disasters these
matters will receive preference. During such periods all other consular services
rendered may be limited and the timeframes set out in the standards may not be
met.
4.1
We have set the following minimum professional standards for the level and
quality of services we provide:
 We serve all customers in an unbiased, polite, helpful and impartial manner;
 We dress appropriately and professionally, respecting our customers;
 All members of the public are treated as customers who are entitled to receive
high standards of service;
 We are punctual in the execution of our duties and are committed to timely
service;
 We co-operate fully with other employees to advance the public interest. We
share information, work as a team to maintain the standards and to achieve our
objectives;
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We execute all reasonable instructions by persons officially assigned to issue
them;
We execute our duties in a professional, competent and accountable manner;
We honour the confidentiality of matters, documents and discussions;
We take responsibility for our own work and the work and workflow of the
High Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General as a whole;
All services rendered shall be communicated to customers in English or the
official language(s) of ….(mission’s country of accreditation)…. If a South
African customer wishes to be served in any of the other official languages,
every attempt will be made to find an employee in the High
Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General to assist in customer’s language of
choice;
All effort is made to avoid error. Accuracy of at least 90% is guaranteed;
The Consular Section is in continuous consultation with relevant role-players
to ensure that information provided to the public is correct and up to date.
Information provided by this section is reliable subject only to the accuracy
and timeousness of data received from outside agencies;
In order to provide the best possible service to our customers, an employee
deal with one customer /case/telephone enquiry at a time, giving the customer
his/her full attention during this period;
Our consular hours are from ……. to …….., Mondays to Fridays (excluding
public holidays). These restricted hours do not apply to South Africans
requiring emergency services. Members of the consular staff will respond to
persons telephoning the emergency telephone number requesting emergency
services, regardless of the time;
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 includes corporate
customers within its ambit. As such, South African corporate legal entities are
entitled to consular services in the same manner as individuals, exclusive of
intervention in commercial, civil or criminal disputes where recourse to
recognised legal recourse is available.
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4.2
We have set the following minimum operational standards for the level and
quality of services we provide in terms of Consular and Agency Services:
SERVICE
TIME
Consular Protection & Assistance:
Respond to emergencies
Communications with family and/or friends in the event of an emergency
Assistance for repatriation, urgently required medical or professional
attention
Notification of next of kin in the event of death (through Head Office)
Notification of next of kin in the event of life-threatening illness or injury
Assist in search for missing persons
Facilitating financial transfers and/or applications for financial assistance
Provide advice & guidance regarding child custody, abduction & adoption
Reporting of and providing guidance & support regarding kidnapping
Reporting of and providing of assistance and support to defrauded citizens
Provide invigilation services for South African exams
Maintain a register of South African citizens in ……….. (countries of
Immediately
12 Hours
24 Hours
Immediately
Immediately
12 Hours
24 Hours
24 Hours
Immediately
12 Hours
As required
Continuous
accreditation)
Prisoners:
Contact with prisoners (This service varies from country to country depending on needs
Mission prescript
and conditions)
Facilitate the payment of funds paid by family/friends in South Africa
Facilitate the delivery of letters and/or medication to prisoners
Information (South Africa) –Requests for information & advice on:
Customs regulations
Civil aviation
Taxation
Pensions
Social and legal services
Travel
Banking
Education
Information (Local) –Requests for information & advice on:
Customs regulations
Civil aviation
Taxation
Pensions
Social and legal services
Travel
Banking
Education
Legal and Notary:
Transmit documents in private legal matters
Act as a Commissioner of Oaths
Legalisation: Authenticate signatures of Foreign Ministry officials
Facilitate Services of Process and Maintenance Orders
Facilitate other legal processes
Ad hoc Consular Support Services
Mission prescript
Mission prescript
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
24 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
24 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
By appointment
By appointment
72 Hours
72 Hours
72 Hours
Time refers to initial response time during working days and may be subject to factors
beyond our control. Each consular case develops according to its own dynamics and
complexity. We facilitate the process but the exact timeframe for completing a case cannot
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be pre-determined.
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4.3
We have set the following minimum operational standards for the level and
quality of services we provide in terms of Civic and Immigration Services:
SERVICE
TIME
Civic Services:
Receive & process applications for birth, marriage and death certificates
Apply for Letters of No Impediment
Receive, process and issue emergency passports
Receive, process and forward applications for ID documents and passports
Refer other Home Affairs applications to the Department
Immigration:
Process applications for temporary residence permits
Process applications for permanent residence permits
10 Days
30 Days
Time refers to response time in working days and may be subject to factors
beyond our control.
4.4
Our performance against our standards:
A record is kept of the number of documents and cases processed each day, the
number of errors and complaints received. Corrective measures will be taken. A
complaints/suggestion box has been placed at Reception. Alternatively the
customer can contact the Head of Management at e-mail address …………. or
telephonically at ………….. We will respond to all complaints and suggestions
received within one week of receipt thereof. We welcome comments and
suggestions on our service and its quality.
In return we expect the public to be civil and courteous and to respect the
dignity of our officials at all times.
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